Omar has now strung together some decent games. I wouldn't bench him right as his form is looking up.
Agree. He hasn't been a monster, but he's been pretty good. Still has those mental errors, but it could be a lot worse. We've seen that firsthand. =) Right now he's a better-than-average centerback. I don't think he's playing at a DP level, but he's putting in pretty good shifts.
no, chalk that up to Keanovan not being able to finish the hundreds of chances they had the first match
Agree completely. I am on record as the DP contract being a terrible idea on all fronts. But that doesn't mean you bench him.
A number of us had that same thought at the time and in retrospect it is borne out. I can think of a few reasons for the move, but still a bad idea. 1 LAG really thought (may still think) he get sold on post World Cup. 2 Bruce prizes stability particularly in the back line 3 Omar has marketing power 4 Omar is relatively inexpensive as DP players go. Separate and apart from the fact that there were needs in other areas, the biggest problem is that the team's hands are tied in terms of making a major move to improve the club. Who knew a Bradley was going to come on the market?
There's always a Bradley or something like that on the market if you are willing to pay. I really, really hate the settling because "there's nothing better out there" when if we've learned anything in the past 8 or 9 years since the Beckham rule, it's that you can in fact get players to come to play if you offer the right incentives. In addition, the whole history of capped leagues in this country (NBA and NFL) has shown that the one way to kill your chances is to lock yourself into bad contracts that eat up cap space and leave you with no ability to improve your team. Which is what we did. Regarding your points: 1 is/was high speculative and dubious, and if that was the play, someone was smokin' something good. 2. is definitely possible. 3. is somewhat laughable to me because I am wracking my brain for the last super-marketable defender I can think of..... 4. The actually expense isn't really the issue to me....it's the cap space and the DP slot. If they were thinking of this as a money saving move, then move over New England Revolution, there's a new sheriff in Cheaptown.
double agree completely. fact is that Bruce doesn't have anyone on the bench to put in who is better than him (even of you knew in advance when he might have an off day, or even just a few off moments), but it would sure be a strong message to tell Omar that for the money he's being paid, he's competing against a different standard, not the others, and not cutting it all the time. if i thought sitting him for a game would have the right impact, i'd still consider it for the longterm benefits (and then cross my fingers for the game in question). but, i don't think it would have the right impact. he is months away from the World Cup and needing to be at the very very top of his game. He's also presumably hoping for a big money transfer either after the WC or after the end of the season, with every incentive to bust his tail on every single play. If any or all of that isn't enough to get him focused for the full 90, it's hard to figure what will. I'm still a big fan of his, and know that LAG and team USA need him to come big, but he is at a place where he can and should really pick it up a level or two.
I'd like to add: 5) The difference between the start and finish of 2012. As stupid as some of our errors have been since the beginning of 2013, we still look solid aside from the brainfarts. In 2012, we looked clueless at the back. Omar returned and we very quickly turned situation around. I believe that after we failed to get our higher profile targets, the contingency was wrapping up Omar because he seemed like a massive piece to replace. I think a big part of Omar's problem is that he's now the senior defender. He thought he'd made it, that he was the bollocks and now he didn't have a Sanneh or a Berhalter to keep him honest for 90 minutes. As a DP that comes with the territory but I too think that it was now a mistake to give him that. He needs to be droppable for his own focus and motivation. However, the second you drop a DP, it instantly turns into a sh*tstorm because the guy you're paying the big bucks isn't making the team and he's now being cited as a waste of money, adding much unnecessary baggage. I don't agree with blowing up the wage cap but I do think you need to acknowledge tenure and allow salaries to be offered a little outside the cap in such cases. Though I guess the mysterious retention fund goes some way to accomplishing that.
Yeah, I gave Leo a break on one of those Xolos goals, but that still leaves 3 where his decision-making lead to the crucial play. I think the only defense you can give him from Saturday is maybe the ball rolled more than he expected because of the turf. It's a shame, because Leo does quite a few things well, but he tends to misjudge situations like these a lot. It's the same kind of mistake Omar tends to make but much more often -- assuming he has time/space when he doesn't.
If he isn't playing to the quality we know he can play at then perhaps benching him may be the answer. Feeling invincible/unbenchable is never good for any single player. That's why competition for spots, all of them, is so important.
Good points. Another solid reason in my book we need another CB. Perhaps Bruce should sign a veteran CB that can start with Omar or at least coach him from the side? Ideally John Terry would be perfect, as much as I hate him as a person, but we won't get him without DP cash even if Chelsea weren't going to offer him a new deal. Boca would've been perfect... sigh
Yeah, and to a sort of not-so-good degree, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. I mean, Sergio Ramos is kinda famous but that was helped a lot by the clip of him dropping the Copa del Rey under a bus's wheel. They can be iconic, but people watch games to watch strikers, and electric wingers, and smooth #10's.....defenders just don't move the needle on publicity.
John Terry is one of the few players that I simply could not stomach on the Galaxy. He's up there with Rafa Marquez for me.
Phoneixhazard…you owe me a new keyboard...I just blew chunks all over it and it is probably ruined (jk). The thought of JT playing for LA (or any MLS team for that matter) makes me sick to my stomach. Same goes for A. Hole…I mean A. Cole.
I said my piece last year about thinking that giving Omar the DP contract was a good move, and I still think it was the right move. However, I agree Omar's not been up to his new contract. He's become complacent and has regressed. I'm not one to say "you need to go to overseas to be a good player", but I would imagine he'd benefit from being pushed day in and day out for a starting spot. Some guys just have the drive to improve day in and day out (Landon, for one), but some guys need those external forces pushing. MLS just can't provide that yet for Omar (which is another argument for needing MLS to develop depth instead of opening up more DP slots, but that's not for this discussion). He's got to get his ass in gear one way or another.
lol, i feel the same way, look at who i support in england! but you can't deny Terry is a phenomenal defender and i'd stomach my hate for him to play on our team perhaps rumors of Dunne coming to MLS could be to LA? Keano could certainly help that out and he would be massive for us, easily one of the most underrated defenders in England
Just to be clear, I never meant to suggest those were good reasons. I was just trying to figure out what was going through their heads. Although I do think Omar is personable and attractive to younger fans. Not marketable in the sense that he will bring in fans to see him as such. But marketable in that he enhances the team's image with a certain market segment.
I think it ties in to your first point, but I'd also say there was an element of loss aversion on the FO's part with Omar leaving on a free transfer.
I for one wanted us to use that DP contract on a CAM like KaKa or a Wesley Sneijder but completely understand why it made sense to give it to Omar. That move inconjuction with the Dempsey move is in my opinion what sparked the turning point of the Americans abroad such as Bradley all suddenly making the big return to this league. In the name of the leagues growth I think that statement needed to be made. You no longer need to leave inorder to get paid.
I like the idea behind the Omar DP move. It sends the right message to the next generation of would-be homegrown MLS/national team stars. It also balances the "superstar global brand" image with the "local/domestic community" image (the latter of which I care about a lot more, personally). Fans that follow Omar are Galaxy fans forever. Fans that come to see John Terry will be gone when John Terry leaves. Chasing superstars is not a viable long-term strategy, or even one that guarantees short-term success. And a competently-run and re-branded LA team could snatch up a lot of would-be long-term fans in the area by positioning itself as the working class alternative to the "plastic" Galaxy team that chases over-the-hill superstars.
You mean the plastic Galaxy team that has won cups with Robbie Keane and David Beckham and actually has a pretty decent fan base? As opposed to working-class Chivas whose stadium overflows with fans EVERY. SINGLE. GAME. ? I don't like the "send a message!" line. Someone else send the message. Let Seattle do that and overpay Dempsey. The message I don't like is that we'll use a very valuable DP spot on a defender. Period. It ain't exactly working out so well.